Return of The Darkness

They just came off of their first major North American tour, which no one thought they'd even be on in the first place. Their debut was just released last year, and already the Darkness has finished recording their second album.

For the as-yet-untitled album, the four-piece recorded with producer 'Mutt' Lange who is famed for working with bands like AC/DC and Def Leppard. Even though Lange has worked with some of the biggest bands in the world, he may best be known to Canadians as Mr. Shania Twain.

While most bands find recording the difficult part, the Darkness thinks it's easy. What they do find hard is naming albums. Speaking to XFM, guitarist Dan Hawkins confessed: "The last title took about seven months to choose, I think. So seven months of sheer hell."

Assuming the band comes up with a title, the world will find out whether the Darkness has what it takes to make it past the sophomore slump. Lots of bands find it difficult to get their second album off the ground, but the members of the Darkness aren't ones to give in easily.

Many were expecting a band comprised of catsuit wearing, falsetto bearing oddballs to fail once the British masses realized the Darkness wasn't much more than a good joke. But the Darkness prevailed, showing their homeland that they were serious about their music.

Then came the hurdle of North America – the monster of all hard markets to break. One of the only British bands in recent years to come out of a fight with American audiences victoriously is Coldplay. And the Darkness ain't no Coldplay. Even those who LIKE the band didn't think they'd be able to make America love them.

So far on this side of the Atlantic the Darkness have had a number one single, a gold album and a sold out tour. They just downright laughed in their critics' faces.